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But back on U Street, businesses are apprehensive. They remember how Metro construction in the 90s killed businesses in the area.

“It was like a night mare like a ghost town,” says Stacie Lee Banks, a florist.

DDOT says it's going to be better this time minimizing the impact. It will start at 9th Street and move toward 14 Street one block at a time. At all times it will maintain vehicular and pedestrian access.